Tweet The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is one of the most life-changing, life-affirming books I have ever had the pleasure to read. I recently rediscovered my love for it, via an intensity of feeling in which I recalled some of the potent wisdom which is written among its pages. I first whipped through The Alchemist when I … Continue reading A book I once read in Croatia
Tweet September 20, 2014 It is evening. I blink through bleary eyes as a hazy, shimmering skyline emerges: tinged pink in the setting sun, and monstrous. Istanbul is not high-rise; the only things you'll see peaking (peeking?) above the slanted rooftops are the hordes of elegant minarets. But it is a sprawling city. While the … Continue reading ☾ Istanbul
Tweet So this evening it was off to the doctor's to get my vaccinations. I got hepatitis A&B in my left arm (which left it numb for about five minutes) and typhoid in my right (which felt fine at the time but has left it feeling heavy and sore today). You have to get them about … Continue reading Vaccinations
Tweet Something strange happened today. I was checking my Facebook, when a friend suggestion came up in the top right-hand corner. Usually it's people I've barely heard of or someone totally inappropriate like my mum, so I was surprised to see the name of somebody I knew - or used to know - on a … Continue reading Unreasonable?
Tweet Note: I am having to write this retrospectively, because my plan to use hostel computers didn't work out. Above is a rough plan of where we ended up going - not too much of a deviation from the original, in the end! And what follows will be posts I've made up from notebook entries I … Continue reading A little history
Tweet The transition from study to work has been just as everyone said it would be. Already I can feel myself osmosing through the bubble; I've distanced myself from all things student, and have started using phrases like "nine to five", "PR event" and "I can't, I've got work tomorrow". It's partly summer. It's partly … Continue reading Contemplation
So, it has been decided. We have a one-way ticket to Budapest, leaving at the end of August. The rough plan is to get from Hungary to Istanbul via Romania, Bulgaria and (hopefully) Macedonia across the course of one month. Phenomenally excited about: forests, hiking, SUN, having time to think, and being away from a … Continue reading Next stop: Eastern Europe
It is the perfect winter's day. Bon hiver. The sun leaked out of a swathe of blue sky, the wind took his paintbrush and dusted our pale cheeks pink. Armed with rubber wellies, a camera and high spirits, we took to the hill which led to Highgate Cemetery. It is a palimpsest of bodies, memories; … Continue reading Sunday
“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up … Continue reading “To love at all…
no cash on the highway 